Under-inflated tires squander nearly 533 million litres of fuel a year

Originally published: May 25, 2011

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According to data from Natural Resources Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC), vehicles with under-inflated tires on our roads squander an estimated 533 million litres of fuel annually, which is enough fuel to power 275,000 vehicles for a full year.

Air is free, so you don’t have to be an accountant to figure out there are huge potential savings here. At current prices, that’s about $720 million Canadians didn’t need to spend on fuel, simply by not checking and adjusting tire pressures on a regular basis.

According to RAC, an average Canadian motorist can save more than $100 at the pumps if their tires are kept properly inflated (driving 20,000 km/year). In addition to saving money, you will also be doing your part in preventing the release of an additional 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

An under-inflated tire does not roll as smoothly and has increased rolling resistance, which causes a vehicle to burn more fuel. Measuring tire inflation at least once a month should be a priority for every motorist. It will also help you spot a potentially dangerous tire problem. Yet only about 30 per cent of Canadian drivers typically do it on a regular basis.

Checking the inflation pressure of a tire is easy to do, but first let’s clear away a couple of common misconceptions. First, a visual check is not enough. Modern tires can be under or over-inflated by 20 per cent or more and still appear normal. Secondly, a pressure shown on the sidewall of a tire is its maximum pressure, not the recommended pressure for a vehicle by the vehicle manufacturer, which can also differ from front-torear.

The correct tire pressure by wheel position is listed on a placard usually located on an inside door post (driver’s side), inside the glove compartment or inside the fuel door. Its location will be in your vehicle owner’s manual.

Next, invest in a good tire gauge, store it in your car, and … use it a least once a month.

SOME ADVANCED FUEL-SAVING TIPS

Skipping over the more obvious ways to conserve fuel that you probably already know (such as, slow down, proper vehicle maintenance, etc.), if you want to be a super fueleconomizer, switch from being a "lead foot" to being a "feather foot".

Even using moderate levels of socalled "EcoDriving" practices can reduce fuel use by about 15 per cent. Aggressive driving, quick acceleration and hard stops can increase fuel consumption by 25 per cent.

Here are some things to work on:

• Practice looking further ahead to anticipate stops and as much as possible maintain a constant speed during your commute, Slow-and-go is better than stop-and-go, as it takes 20 per cent more fuel to accelerate from a full stop than from 8 km/h.

• If synchronized traffic lights are on your regular commute, driving at an optimum speed will allow you to pass through a series of green lights without stopping.

• Lighten your load and reduce your drag. Get rid of heavy items in your trunk and remove roof or bicycle racks when you’re not using them. Extra weight and anything that detracts from the aerodynamics of a vehicle contribute to increased fuel consumption.

• Use air-conditioning sparingly and wisely in hot weather as it can increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent. Where possible, park in a shady spot, use your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation and open a window when driving in the city.